Boost your office profile

Dan Stewart

Whether you’re a well-established professional, or a bright-eyed new member of the team; determined to prove yourself to your newly acquired peers, getting noticed or boosting your profile in the office environment can be a challenge – especially for the right reasons. In big organisations, it’s easy to be overlooked regardless of your work ethic, or the number of hours you put in.

As a recent graduate stepping into the wide ol’ world of work, I have experienced first-hand the benefits of going the extra mile to boost my profile in the office and get myself noticed. So here is the Graduate’s Guide to improving your profile:

Get Yourself Heard: Sitting in the meeting room amongst your bosses and other senior figures of the company can be very daunting; the possible fallout that could unfold upon letting loose your thoughts often outweigh you getting your ideas into the arena. Rather than speaking up, you continue to sit silently, mentally shooting holes in the current plans. But, if you choose your moments wisely and ensure you have something constructive to contribute, you have the opportunity to speak up with minimal risk to your reputation. Innovative input when a project’s creativity is waning can boost your role significantly in a very short time, as well as give you an almighty boost in your confidence.

Go Above and Beyond: Assuming you’re not taking away time from your usual responsibilities, operating outside your job description and going above and beyond is a great way to show that you’re dedicated and happy to put in the extra effort. When was the last time the office plant was watered? Or the recycling bin emptied? An important note here is not to suck up to your boss – but if there are tasks in your team that have been neglected or pushed aside, stepping up to the plate and resolving them is bound to be viewed positively by the team.

Give Praise: Everyone appreciates knowing when they’ve done a good job. Going the extra mile to congratulate your colleague on something they have achieved, big or small, goes a long way. Such a small action not only helps to build a positive spirit but also increases team comradery and will make others more aware of when you bring in success.

Get Involved: For me, getting involved in company events is one of the easiest and the most enjoyable ways to immerse yourself amongst your colleagues at a pace most comfortable to you. For me, I have built up a bit of a reputation for being the lunch-time table tennis table bandit (and now reigning IC Resources inaugural Christmas table tennis tournament champion, I might add!). Activities like this are a great way to get to know people you might not see often in the office, in a fun, casual environment. I can honestly say that I have become closer with my work colleagues just through a game or two at lunch time. You don’t even have to worry about being good at it! There will always be someone at your level. But just remember, no one likes a table hogger!

If you’d like to chat to me about this or you’d like any other workplace advice please contact me – dan.stewart@ic-resources.com or you can call me on 0118 988 1150.